The present invention relates generally to printing devices, and particularly to infeed devices supplying media to a printer.
Most printing devices have various media source or infeed alternatives. For example, the most common primary media source for a printer is a media input tray holding sheet-form media. The tray, removable from the printer, holds a stack of media therein. Movable wall structures within configure the tray to hold, as an organized stack, media of selected size. A user loads or replenishes a supply of media by pulling the tray from the printer and dropping media from above onto a stack receptacle defined by the movable wall structures. When properly configured and located within the printer, the tray presents the top member of the stack of sheet-form media to a pick mechanism. In some printers, multiple such input trays positioned within the printer allow selection among different sheet-form media stacks. A pick mechanism collects from the media stack the top member and introduces it into the feed path of the printer. A media transport mechanism feeds media past a printing device applying print imaging and, eventually, through an output slot and onto an output tray of the printer. Thus, the user need not constantly feed individual sheet-form media into the printer.
Printers do not always apply print imaging to simple sheet-form media, e.g., single-panel ordinary paper stock. Printers frequently apply print imaging, e.g., addressing information, to envelopes. Envelopes come in a wide variety of sizes, including some recognized standard sizes. Envelopes have a more complex multi-panel structure as compared to simple sheet-form media. More particularly, envelopes serve as containers and have, typically, two planar sheet-form members comprising a front and back of the envelope as well as a flap structure selectively closing and opening in the envelope. Envelopes are thicker than ordinary sheet-form media. More complex envelope structures may contain two or more compartments, further adding to the overall thickness.
Fortunately, conventional media transport mechanisms in most printers handle the relatively more complex and thicker envelope structures. In other words, most printers typically have no significant problem feeding envelopes along a feed path and past a printing device. Thus, conventional media transport mechanisms are suitable for many envelope media.
Unfortunately, most printers do find challenge in collecting envelopes from a large stack of media. For example, most printers cannot handle very many envelopes stacked in a media input tray. As a result, printer users enjoy only limited benefit from automated media input sources such as a printer media input tray. Because such trays hold only a few envelopes, a user printing a significant number of envelopes must still handle many groups of such envelopes when replenishing the envelope supply in a conventional printer input tray. Furthermore, because media transport mechanisms collect the top member of a stack of media, printing operations must be interrupted to replenish from above a supply of media in a conventional printer input tray.
Many printers do include, however, an input slot receiving individual sheet-form media by manual placement therein. Input slots are commonly used for envelopes and special media, e.g., letterhead and special-form paper stock. Input slots support uninterrupted printing operations, i.e., a user can feed a series of media through the printer without stopping printing operations. Unfortunately, to achieve such uninterrupted printing operations the user must handle each and every individual item fed into the printer. Accordingly, input slots do not support automated media input and provide little convenience when a large number of items are to be fed into the printer.
In many applications, however, a user wishes to print multiple envelopes without manipulating individual envelopes. In other words, users often wish to print a large number of envelopes and find inconvenient the need to feed individual envelopes through a printer input slot or constantly replenish a media input tray. In some cases users may even dedicate a given printer to envelope operation and, even though printing one or just several envelopes at a given time, find inconvenient the need to individually feed envelopes or frequently replenish a media input tray.
Thus, printer users have a variety of choices with respect to printing operations applying print imaging to, for example, envelopes. There is always the single-feed method, but this requires excess, i.e., individual, envelope manipulation. A limited number of envelopes can be stacked in some printer input trays, however, the number of envelopes which can be stacked, i.e., replenished, at one time is limited. Furthermore, a print operation making use of a stack of envelopes in an input tray must be interrupted whenever the user replenishes the limited supply of envelopes in a printer tray. Accordingly, the act of replenishing itself introduces inefficiency and inconvenience into an overall printing operation.
Printers dedicated in design and operation to the exclusive task of envelope processing could be fashioned to satisfy need for large volume envelope print imaging operations. Unfortunately, many people having occasional need for such printing operations have no access to such dedicated high-production level envelope processing and print imaging devices. Accordingly, it would be desirable to better facilitate, i.e., make more efficient and convenient, the application of print imaging to, for example, envelopes making use of printing apparatus of substantially conventional and widely available design.
It would be desirable, therefore, to provide a printer capable of taking as an input source a stack of media of significant number whereby a user can print consecutively from such input source a relatively large number of media at one time or may occasionally print one or several such media without manipulating individual media and without interrupting printing operations.
A stack accessory for a printer under the present invention serves as a module attachable to a conventional printer. The accessory includes a stack receptacle. The stack receptacle has a feed side and a replenish side. The receptacle being open at its replenish side. A stack outlet located adjacent the feed side of the receptacle collects from the stack media and feeds media into a printer attached thereto. As a result, a generally conventional printer may be converted into a high-volume printer enjoying uninterrupted printing operations because media may be replenished without stopping printing operations.
The subject matter of the present invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of this specification. However, both the organization and method of operation of the invention, together with further advantages and objects thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like elements.